2025 World Snooker Championship Semi-Finals: Preview, what and when are the matches at the Crucible?

The four-session, best of 33 frames semi-finals are scheduled between Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd May.

We look ahead to the action over the next few days in Sheffield...

Zhao Xintong v Ronnie O'Sullivan

Session one: Thursday 1st May (13:00BST), Session two: Friday 2nd May (10:00BST), Session three: Friday 2nd May (19:00BST), Session four: Saturday 3rd May (14:30BST)

An amateur player in his maiden Crucible semi-final faces a seven-time World Champion in his 14th Crucible semi-final. Sounds like a complete mismatch, doesn’t it? But, of course, it isn’t.

For a third consecutive round, Ronnie O’Sullivan will be aiming to end the challenge of a youthful Chinese opponent.

Of all the semi-finalists, O’Sullivan has lost the fewest amount of frames across his opening three matches at the Crucible - 17. His route through to the last four had been relatively stress-free until number 13 seed Si Jiahui threatened a comeback in the final session of their quarter-final, although ‘The Rocket’ produced the goods at the end in a 13-9 victory.

In the previous rounds, O’Sullivan broke free from Ali Carter in scintillating fashion for a 10-4 round one win, and he was pretty much comfortable throughout as he dispatched qualifier Pang Junxu 13-4 in the last 16.

Typical discourse for O’Sullivan, but he has remained downbeat about his performances and kept expectations low. However, considering he hadn’t played competitively before this tournament since the start of January - and the fact he is using new playing equipment - O’Sullivan has looked very decent in the balls, and produced signature moments of magic with several clutch clearances during his campaign.

However, no opponent has yet to really apply sustained pressure against him.

Former UK Champion and world number six Zhao Xintong’s remarkable return to the sport’s blue riband event continues; the Chinese ace has already won seven consecutive matches in getting here.

Following his return to the sport after the expiration of his ban, this year’s Q Tour number one - snooker’s secondary circuit - is competing as an invited amateur. Zhao will not officially hold a professional tour card until next season, and he has already broken records in getting this far.

Before a ball was struck in this year’s tournament, Zhao was one of the fancied players to go all the way. The 28-year-old navigated four qualifying rounds just to reach the main draw, televised stages at the Crucible where he has defeated last year’s runner-up Jak Jones 10-4 in round one proper, and compatriot Lei Peifan 13-10 in the last 16.

Zhao had plenty of spare change in ending the challenge of fellow qualifier Chris Wakelin 13-5 in the quarter-finals, although large portions of that match were low-quality and error strewn.

The two-time ranking event champion totted up 12 century breaks during the qualifiers, but has just one, so far, during the Crucible phases (a 142). There is a question whether the magnitude of the situation is getting to Zhao, or perhaps burnout is coming into the equation having played so much snooker over the past few weeks.

In terms of the head-to-head record between the two, O’Sullivan leads 2-0, although they have never faced each other on an occasion like this.

Mark Williams v Judd Trump

Session one: Thursday 1st May (19:00BST), Session two: Friday 2nd May (14:30BST), Session three: Saturday 3rd May (10:00BST), Session four: Saturday 3rd May (19:00BST)

Three years ago, Judd Trump ousted Mark Williams 17-16 in a classic Crucible semi-final encounter, and the two will meet at the same stage of the competition again.

2019 World Champion Trump has been the best player of the tournament, so far.

The world number one and pre-tournament favourite hit a record-equalling five century breaks in a 10-4 opening round win over Zhou Yuelong, before coming from behind to defeat Shaun Murphy 13-10 in round two in a tie where he notched up his 100th century of the season and pocketed a £100,000 bonus.

In a rip-roaring quarter-final against Luca Brecel, Trump again recovered from being multiple frames down, stringing together the final six frames for a 13-8 win.

During that victory over the champion from two years ago, 'The Ace in the Pack' registered his 104th ton of the term, breaking the record for the most century breaks made by one player in a single professional season.

50-year-old Williams - the oldest player to reach the last four in 40 years - has been engaged on the baize for the longest out of all the semi-finalists, with the winning margins of his three victories being two frames, three frames, and one frame.

The three-time World Champion stood tall at the end of his round one match against exciting young prospect Wu Yize, claiming the final three frames in a 10-8 verdict.

The Welshman saw off Iranian number one Hossein Vafaei 13-10 in the second round, before surviving a nerve-shredding quarter-final against fellow Class of 92 member John Higgins that went down to the very last black in the deciding frame.

This will be Trump's sixth Crucible semi-final outing; it will be Williams' eighth.

These two cueists have been involved in several high-profile meetings down the years which have either gone very close, or all the way.

Earlier this season, Trump pipped Williams on the final black in the final of the big-money Saudi Arabia Masters. As well as their aforementioned World Championship semi-final from 2022, Trump also defeated Williams 10-8 in the 2023 Masters final.

If you include all their professional match-ups across all formats, Trump has won more than two thirds of them, although you wouldn't be surprised if there is a lot of mileage in their upcoming clash.

Please visit our 2025 World Snooker Championship tournament information centre here for details on the draw, results, format and order of play.